Because I Was Born To It
by Eilonwycousland
Summary: One shot involving Sigrun, Anika Brosca, and Leske. The three casteless friends work for Beraht but what happens when they get caught stealing by a guard? Pre-game setting. Slight acts of violence mentioned. Set in my The Way Of Thedas Universe.


Many thanks to the following: Jalyn, Alyssacousland, & BlondMoments for all their help with this little one-shot. If it wasn't for them I would have accidentally messed up the lore on Casteless and Legion tattoos. Thanks also to all my wonderful followers of The Way Of Thedas universe and all new readers as well! All reviews are welcome; I love reading your thoughts!

This takes place in the year 9:29 Dragon, about a year before the blight (give or take a few months). It's Anika's one-shot but it also shows some backstory for Sigrun. Told mostly from Anika's POV, I guess, in a way, its Anika and Sigrun's one-shot. This is not referring to the incident that appears in game that causes Brosca to become a Warden, although it is similar in the beginning parts, I suppose. As for the timing, nothing myself or others were able to find gave any reference as to when Sigrun becomes a Legionnaire or how long she has been one, so since is AU I made it up.

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**Because I Was Born To It**

Anika retrieved her favorite throwing needles from the dwarven corpse. After she wiped the blood off the weapons she search the man's pockets, searching for her prize. Two bars of lyrium that some nug humping fool had stolen from Beraht. A dead fool, now. Finding the goods, Anika turned and grinned to her partners in crime, her best friend Leske and a girl by the name of Sigrun.

Sigrun grinned back. The three of them worked together often and had become friends, of sorts. They drank together, joked around together, and stole together. When you're born casteless, thats the closest thing to 'friend' a dwarf could get.

Anika watched Sigrun clean her daggers before sheathing them. She had dark brown hair pulled into three messy ponytails. Half of Sigrun's face was covered with the castless brand. Anika had always felt lucky her brand had been small, covering just one eye and a slight band across her forehead. Leske had a smaller brand, a few markings on his right cheek. Anika ran her fingers through her short blonde hair and sighed. She was growing tired of the thieving. Not because she didn't enjoy the thrill from nicking shiny toys from the noble bastards, she just hated answering to Beraht.

"Are we done stealing back Beraht's shiny toy? We should go before someone comes to steal it from us," Sigrun said. She turned and started walking back towards Dust Town; the place where all casteless were forced to live.

Anika smirked. "In a hurry to get somewhere?"

Leske grinned and leaned against a wall, her long braids pulled back in a dashing ponytail. "Hey, Sigrun. What's a pretty girl like you doing tonight?" Leske was always flirting with Sigrun. Or with most girls, except Anika.

"Sleeping. Alone. With a knife under my pillow," she called out over her shoulder, not even bothering to stop.

Anika let out a loud laugh. "Looks like you got turned down again, Salroka."

Sigrun turned and squinted at the pair of them. "Alright Leske, I might be free tonight. But I've got one question?"

Leske grinned at Anika as if to say 'I told she'd want this' before answering. "What's that, pretty thing?"

"I'm going to prefer women after it's over, right?" she asked, deadpan.

Anika laughed and clutched her sides while Leske stood there scowling. Anika tossed the bag of lyrium to Sigrun to carry and wiped a tear from her eye.

"Alright, alright. Let's get these goods back to the boss," Leske said, pushing away from the wall with a grunt.

The three of them walked back towards Dust Town, passing merchant stalls and other dwarves as they walked. Thoughts of her sister occupied Anika's mind. Rika was now in the Diamond Quarter, noble hunting. Anika's fists clenched as she thought about her sister peddling herself as a whore to be bought by the uptight nobles. She hated the fact that poor Rica felt she had to do this. It was all their mother's fault. Blasted woman was so addicted to mosswine she could barely see straight.

Rica felt sorry for her, claiming she had been much happier before Anika's father left for the surface. Anika knew her mother had high hopes for them both once; she had named her after the Paragon Aeducan's wife in hopes that her youngest would make something of herself. But Anika couldn't help but resent what her mother had become: a bitter old drunk.

"Hey! You three, stop right there!" a guardsman called out.

Anika felt the blood drain from her face, if they were caught she wouldn't be able to protect Rica anymore. She'd be killed or sent to work with the Legion of the Dead.

The three of them stopped as the guard eyed them suspiciously. "Hand over everything you've got, now!" he demanded.

Anika gulped as they handed over what little they all had on them. She glanced over at Sigrun who handed him the small bag of lyrium with a grim look in her eyes.

"So, casteless filth, where'd you steal the lyrium from?" he sneered.

The three of them kept their heads down and refused to answer. If they said anything about Beraht, they wouldn't live past the night. Beraht would kill them himself.

The guard snorted. "Not goin' to answer, huh? All you casteless are nothing but thieves. Yer born to it. I'll be taking you in, now," he said with a sneer.

Anika glared at the guard. "We didn't do nothin'! She must have stolen the lyrium herself; you can't blame us all for somethin' she did on her own!" Anika said. _I can't let 'em take me. I'm sorry, Sigrun._

Sigrun's eyes widened in shock as she heard Anika Brosca lay all the blame on her._ Traitor._ She thought the word with venom but said nothing in her own defense. _We're all born liars and traitors, anyway._

The guard raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you say." He grabbed Sigrun by one arm and pulled her along. Sigrun struggled but it was in vain. The guard tossed her roughly to the ground. He kicked her in the ribs with his metal boots but she refused to cry out in pain. Anika winced when she heard the bones crack. He grabbed his sword and a cruel grin spread across his face. He beat her over and over with the pummel until she lay there, bleeding into the dirt.

Anika and Leske watched in shock as the guard spat in Sigrun's face before he lifted to her feet. "No more fight out of you, missy. Yer joining the Legion, now. Better than what a thieving little shite like you deserves, anyway. Unless you want to be executed."

After Sigrun had been dragged away, barely able to stand, Leske turned to Anika. "Come on, we better go tell Beraht."

Anika clenched her fists and nodded. _She'll be fine. Her wounds will heal. The Legion will treat her better than Dust Town ever did. She'll be fine. I didn't do nothing wrong. I did what I had to. For survival. Because I was born to this life. Dust Town. It sticks to the skin. I had no other choice._


End file.
